


To a New Adventure

by ahsagitarius



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan January Joy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 00:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9467702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahsagitarius/pseuds/ahsagitarius
Summary: Nothing is ever simple between these two, and a marriage proposal is no different.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to CSJJ for doing this! :D

Fairy lights hung above, illuminating the ship by casting a soft glow in the darkness of the night and twinkling like little stars.

Red rose petals are scattered, surrounding the small dinner table in the center of the deck. A red and white checkered table cloth draped over it, a candle in the middle, and a table is set for two.

The smell of the ocean wafts through the air from the faint summer breeze.

Killian adds a few rose petals on the table and stops to look, smiling at the perfect scene in front of him.

“Alright. I believe we’re finished,” he says, turning to Henry and David.

Killian has been planning this night for weeks, soon after they defeated the Evil Queen, dealt with Gideon, and Emma’s visions stopped, the town had been surprisingly quiet and now he finally has a chance to do it.

He’s going to propose.

He’s equal parts giddy and nervous. He loves her so much and he knows how much she loves him too. They’ve been through so many adventures and separations, but they always find their way back to each other. That must be the magic of True Love.

With the aid of Henry and David, the three of them had been able to set everything up just the way he had been picturing it. They are the only ones who know, even going as far as warning David not to speak a word of this to Snow. They all know she can’t keep a secret, even David begrudgingly agreed.

They’ve been planning everything secretly for weeks and the day has finally come. Killian decided to propose on his beloved Jolly Roger, the ship that’s been witness to all his heartbreak. But hopefully tonight, it would finally have a good memory to carry.

It’s going to be the best memory.

They helped him string up the fairy lights, Henry choosing to also wrap them around the crow’s nest, his age and agility helping him go up easier than he or David. He chose red rose petals, reminding him of the flower he’d purchased Emma on their first date. The table cloth was similar to the one they had at the restaurant they went to for their first date and that’s where their meal is from. When they found a quiet moment now and then in between the chaos that is their little town, they frequently revisited the restaurant. And of course, he couldn’t forget his rum. Although the occasion called for a more elegant beverage, he knows her favorite alcoholic beverage is rum and he saved his best kind for the occasion.

The boy had suggested he play music in the background and he thought it would be a great addition. So, Henry helped him choose a song and after listening to many versions of the waltz of this realm, Killian chose the one that sounded closest to the one he and his Swan danced to in their time in the past.

He kept everything simple, yet elegant, knowing this is what she liked, but still going a bit more romantic to show her how special she is to him.

He’s still worried she’ll say no and although Henry and David were both quick to reassure him she’d accept, he knows Emma. He knows how her past creeps up on her and how change frightens her.

She has been dropping hints lately, though. One morning she woke up with a smile on her face and a happy twinkle in her eye and she told him it’s because she had a “dream,” seeing their wedding. While they snuggled on the couch to watch a movie on the Netflix ( _there’s no ‘the,’_ ) that played on the moving picture box ( _How many times do I have to tell you, it’s called a TV!_ ) she’d “chosen” to watch a movie by the name of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (what an odd name). And one time, she’d been so absorbed in her task she hadn’t noticed he was behind her and he hadn’t said anything. He caught her looking at wedding dresses on her magic box ( _it’s a laptop!_ ).

She’s been the one dropping hints, yet he can’t help but worry.

He sets his fears aside and looks at Henry and David, not knowing how to thank them enough.

“My sincerest gratitude to you both. I don’t think I would have been able to do all of this without you. Thank you, truly.”

“It was our pleasure,” David responded, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

“Should I start calling you ‘dad’ now, Dave?” Killian teased.

“Don’t push it,” David grumbled in mock sternness, making Killian laugh. 

Henry then steps up to him and gives him a hug, “Don’t worry,” he tells him.

Killian simply nods, squeezing the lad’s shoulder and tries to give him a reassuring smile. 

“And she’s going to love that ring,” Henry says. 

“Aye, I hope so.”

Before they leave Killian asks Henry to send Emma a message on his talking phone telling her to meet him at the docks (because Henry is much faster at this texting nonsense). She replies, telling him she’d be there in half an hour. Killian thanks Henry once more before the lad follows his grandfather, leaving Killian alone. 

He should probably check that everything is perfect one more time before his Swan arrives. 

* * *

 

Half an hour feels like an eternity, but the time finally passes and he sees Emma making her way toward him. He was careful to have their meeting place close to the ship, yet far away enough she couldn’t see it yet.

“Hello, my love,” he greets her, giving her a chaste kiss.

When he releases her she rests her forehead against his, combing her fingers through his hair at the back of his head.

“I missed you today,” she whispers.

“I missed you too, lass. Now come, I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?” she asks him curiously.

“How would it be a surprise if I told you, Swan? You’ll find out soon. Now, I need you to put this on,” he says as he pulls out a blindfold.

“Seriously?”

“Humor me for just a minute. Please?” he asks her, giving her his best puppy eyes and finishing it off with an adorable pout he knows she can’t refuse.

 _If we ever have kids and they inherit his eyes, I’m never going to say no to them,_  Emma thinks.

She sighs and takes the blindfold from his hand, slipping it to cover her eyes and securing it with a knot.

“You’re lucky I love you,” she mutters grumpily.

Killian lets out a chuckle at her childish behavior and kisses her cheek. He picks up her hand, intertwining their fingers as he carefully guides her to her surprise.

His heart is pounding, growing louder the closer they get to the ship. She’s probably guessed where he’s brought her but she remains silent. When they finally make it up the gangway and to the deck, he lets go of her hand then positions her facing everything from the perfect angle. Killian takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, wiping his sweaty palm on his jeans. He moves behind her, untying the knot.

Once Killian removed the scarf, Emma had to blink a few times so her eyes could adjust. She stands there, taking everything in and her breath catches in her throat. Her eyes roam around the whole ship, tears welling in her eyes at how beautiful everything looks.

“Killian…” she says. Nothing else comes out, she’s rendered speechless in the thought and time he put into doing all this for her.

She turns to look at him when she finds him kneeling on the floor and he looks up at her with a nervous smile and takes her hand in his.

“Emma,” his voice caresses her name in a tender rasp. “When we met, I was just a vengeful pirate that was lost and you were a lost girl with a safely guarded heart. Both of us had given up on love and yet, we’ve found it in each other. We both had walls, but slowly we healed each other’s broken hearts and you’ve helped me become a better man. You brought me out of my own darkness. It’s been an honor breaking down those walls of yours, one by one, and I promise you I will never do anything that will make you have to build them again. So, my love, will you bring down that final wall and do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?”

Killian looks up at her with nervous, yet hopeful eyes and she has tears streaming down her face. She opens her mouth and answers.

“No.”

His face falls and his heart drops.

* * *

 

_You bloody fool. You read all the signs wrong,_  he reprimands himself.

Before he can ask her why or brush it off or whatever the hell he was going to say, she jerks him up by the arm and the next thing he knows is he’s surrounded by white smoke. He looks up to see she brought them to their home and he’s about to ask her why they are here when he lifts his head looking around and he gasps in surprise.

They’re standing in their living room but he hardly recognizes it. All the furniture had been pushed back and in the center of the room there is a table set for two. The floor is covered in small, individual candles illuminating the dark area. There must be at least a hundred if not more. Carefully, he steps closer to the table and notices three more small candles rest in glasses, the glasses filled with water and pink rose petals, and the candle floating in each.

“No,” she repeats and he takes his eyes away from everything it seems she’s set up and looks at her.

“No, because I was supposed to be the one to propose!” she suddenly shouts loudly. “No, because I actually tried too cook. Cook! I had my mother help me because you know I can’t make anything and I made you that meal my mom made the other day when we had dinner at their place and you said it reminded you of your mother’s food! No, because for once I wanted to do something romantic for you! I wanted to surprise you! You always do everything and I wanted to show you how much I love you! No, beca-”

He stops her loud rambling in the only way he knows how. He steps forward, pulling her arms down, that she’d been flailing like a mad woman, and cups her cheek with his hand, slamming their lips together.

She is surprised by the interruption to her tirade, but she quickly responds by wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him even closer. They break the kiss for air, Killian placing a loving peck to her nose that makes her smile.

“If you wanted to propose, why in the bloody hell were you giving me hints?” he asks her.

“Because I wanted to know if you were open to the idea of marriage,” she answers.

“You’re impossible,” he mutters.

She flashes him a self-satisfied smirk, “And you love me for it.”

“Aye, I do.”

They stand wrapped in each other’s arms, staring at each other with love in their eyes.

“Will you marry me?” they both whisper at the same time, then break into laughter.

“Go ahead, Swan,” he tells her.

“Um, ok,” she says a bit nervously. “I had this whole speech, but things didn’t go as planned,” she lets out a chuckle.

She pulls out a ring and he’s surprised she got him one. It’s silver, encrusted with a flower pattern. She lifts it to him and asks him to read the inside of the ring. Gently, he takes the ring from her hand and looks at the inscription.

_My Savior._

Killian’s eyes well up with tears and he looks up to her beautiful face.

“I might be the Savior, Killian, but _you_ are my Savior. You helped me open my heart again and in a way you saved me from myself. Thank you.”

Killian allows a few tears to escape and she reaches out to wipe them away. He kisses her palm, handing the ring back to her so she can place it on his finger.

“Your turn,” she says.

Killian takes a deep breath so he can recover. “Well, you’ve already heard my speech, love. And deprived me of a dashing proposal,” he jokes.

She giggles and it’s music to his ears, “I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head, waving away her apology. “This was my mother’s ring,” he says as he pulls it out of his pocket and rubs behind his ear with his hook. “If you don’t like it, we can go choose another-”

“It’s beautiful,” she tells him as she runs her fingers over it reverently. Three bands are connected, with a pear cut emerald in the middle, outlined with small diamonds.

“The color reminded me of your eyes.”  

She holds out her hand expectantly and he grins at her, slipping the ring on her finger, a heavy weight that’s been in his chest since he thought she refused finally lifted. He brings her hand up and places a kiss on the ring and her finger. She pulls him by the lapels of his jacket and kisses him hard and both try to pour everything into the kiss: love, gratitude, happiness.

“We’re getting married,” she says excitedly, jumping up and down a bit.

“Aye, my love we are.”

And now, a new adventure begins. 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find pictures of Emma and Killian's rings at the end of the story on my tumblr! Thank you for reading, I hope you guys liked it and please let me know what you think! :)


End file.
